Shivamogga: Local Teacher Breaks Down, Says Her Own Students Pelted Stones At Her House

Tensions erupted in Karnataka's Shivamogga on Sunday (October 01), following a processions taken out by members of the minority community.

Stones were allegedly thrown at the procession which resulted in four individuals receiving injuries. The police consequently imposed Section 144 in the city's Ragigudda area.

Retired teachers who live in the locality said that they were lucky at the time because they were not home when the stone pelting took place. "God saved us", the man said, describing the betrayal from their own students.

This was stated when state BJP leaders visited the locality as a part of the 'fact-finding' mission. The fact-finding team included BJP state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and other senior leaders including former deputy chief minister (DyCM) K S Eshwarappa, Malleshwaram MLA Dr. C N Ashwath Narayan, former ministers Araga Janendra, MP B Y Raghavendra and others.

This team visited Shivamogga's Ragi Gudda area around 11 AM on Thursday, October 05.

When the team was visiting homes of the people affected by the violence, an elderly couple who taught at local schools for most of their lives in Shivamogga's Shantinagar broke down and said that it was heartbreaking for them to see their own students pelt stones at their homes — students whom the couple have taught for decades now.

"My wife advised me not to mention anything to the media or the leaders. She was scared. She learnt Urdu in order to teach Kannada to those students. All these boys have taken up arms today. It is heartbreaking to see our own students do this today. I hope they reconsider their decision and adopt a normal life", the teacher said.

"My wife is 68 year-old and I'm 72. All we wanted in life is a home of our own. We could finally build this house after years of hard-work and saving up. We had no enemies. We never saw anyone through the lens of a religion. If we were home, I am not sure if we would be unharmed. I heard the slogans that were chanted. I am ashamed to even tell those slogans in front of you (the reporter)", the emotional teacher stated.

His wife taught at the local higher primary school for several years in Ragi Gudda. She taught Kannada to students there. To be able to teach Kannada, she had to learn Urdu because the students only spoke Urdu at their homes.

Similarly, a video of a woman who was affected by the violence went viral on social media recently. In the video, she is seen to be asking if Hindus have no right to live here, and if women have no place in the society.

What Exactly Happened In Shivamogga?

The trouble began earlier in the day when a portrait of Tipu Sultan was erected at Raggigudda-Shantinagar, located on the outskirts of the city. Some groups raised objections to the image, which reportedly showed Tipu killing warriors dressed in saffron.

A few pictures doing the rounds on social media also showed Aurangzeb being glorified for building a Muslim empire in India. Twitter users from the state shared images of a cut-out of a sword being brandished in the procession.

Such a display becomes loaded with meaning as Tipu Sultan is recorded to have killed and converted thousands of Hindus through the force of the sword.